LIFE WITH NUCLEAR ENERGY
Eric McGoey, communications and engagement director for Global First Power, told The Weather Network that consultation with local Indigenous communities has been an essential aspect of developing the SMR at Chalk River. “We’re talking to Algonquin communities on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River, Algonquin communities on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, Métis communities, and the Mississauga communities that are part of the Williams Treaties First Nations whose treaty territory includes the Ottawa Valley.” Understanding how SMRs impact the environment and people that live closely with the land will be essential for transitioning northern and remote communities from diesel to a carbon-free energy source. McGoey notes that building relationships with Indigenous communities that could one day opt for SMRs must be done in a meaningful way. "Canada's shame is our mistreatment of Indigenous peoples and the legacy of colonialism. And if we don't build our projects in a w